Power of habit 50(3)

vigorous

(adj) strong, healthy, and full of energy. (of language) forceful. Anything vigorous is done with force and energy. Vigorous exercise makes you sweat, and a vigorous denial makes someone else sweat. Vigorous is a description for something strong or enthusiastic. It comes from the French word vigour, meaning "liveliness, activity." An active, physically energetic person is vigorous, and mental activities can be vigorous too, when they require a lot of mental effort. A vigorous argument doesn't have to include physical wrestling; it just might involve verbal sparring.

ought

To be under moral obligation to be or do. used to indicate duty or correctness, typically when criticizing someone's actions. "they ought to respect the law" used to indicate a desirable or expected state. "he ought to be able to take the initiative" used to give or ask for advice. "you ought to go" 2. used to indicate something that is probable. "five minutes ought to be enough time" ​

buffs

experts in a certain field

sensation

the process by which our sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from our environment A sensation is a type of feeling, picked up by one of the five senses. Peppercorns will give you the sensation of a million tiny pinpricks on your tongue. A sensation is something from your senses. If you lose sensation in your feet, they are numb and it's time for you to get up and move around to restore blood flow. You can call something a sensation if it is wonderful and astonishing. Your parents will tell you that you were a sensation in the school play. Everyone will want to go see the special-effects movie that critics are calling a worldwide sensation.

squirm

to move in a twisting or contorted motion, (especially when struggling) To squirm is to wiggle or twist your body, the way an excited puppy will squirm when you try to hold him in your arms. Small children and animals squirm from excitement or eagerness, while uncomfortable adults also sometimes squirm: "She was so upset by her friends' argument that she started to squirm in her chair." When the word squirm first appeared in the 17th century, it was used specifically to talk about eels. Experts aren't sure of its roots, but some guess squirm is connected to worm or swarm.

Dabbing

to touch gently with something soft.

dicey

(adj.): unpredictable and potentially dangerous: the lot of a wanderer is always dicey. unpredictable and potentially dangerous. "food supplies have been dicey in recent months" Similar: risky uncertain unpredictable Something that's dicey is unpredictable — and it may even be risky or downright dangerous. Bringing up controversial subjects like politics at Thanksgiving dinner with your relatives can be dicey. If you fix your motorcycle yourself, you may feel like it's a pretty dicey vehicle for riding on the highway, and when you're not at all sure how you did on your biology final, you might say, "Phew, that was dicey." Dicey is an informal word that comes from the idea of the unknown outcome of "a roll of the dice," from aviator's jargon around 1940.

venture

(n.) a risky or daring undertaking; (v.) to expose to danger; to dare venture; plural noun: ventures a risky or daring journey or undertaking. "pioneering ventures into little-known waters" a business enterprise, typically one that involves risk. "a joint venture between two aircraft manufacturers" undertake a risky or daring journey or course of action. "she ventured out into the blizzard" expose to the risk of loss. "agents for other people's money, they do not venture their own capital" dare to do or say something that may be considered audacious (often used as a polite expression of hesitation or apology). "may I venture to add a few comments?" A venture is a risky undertaking. If your latest venture is a dog food store, you hope there are some hungry dogs around. Also, to venture is to go somewhere possibly dangerous, like if you venture out into a snowstorm. Venture is a shortened form of adventure. This happened sometime between 1100 CE and 1400 CE during the time that Middle English was spoken. While the two words are similar in meaning, when you subtract the ad, you lose a teaspoon or two of fun, and add a heaping tablespoon of risk.

elicit

(v.) to draw forth, bring out from some source (such as another person) evoke or draw out (a reaction, answer, or fact) from someone. "I tried to elicit a smile from Joanna When you elicit, you're bringing out a response of some sort. A good comedian elicits a lot of laughs. Elicit has to do with creating or provoking a response. A great speech will elicit cheers — a bad speech will elicit boos. Teachers try to elicit responses from students. If a friend smiles at you, it will probably elicit a smile of your own. In court, a lawyer might try to elicit mistakes and inconsistencies in the testimony of a witness. In all cases, whatever is elicited is some kind of response.

contend

(v.) to fight, struggle; to compete; to argue To defend a belief or keep affirming that it's true is to contend. People used to contend that the earth was flat, but eventually, when no one dropped off the edge no matter how far they traveled, the "round" theory won. One of the meanings of contend is from the French "to strive with," and it is a literal fighting, as in "to contend with fists." Most contemporary uses of the verb contend illustrate competitions of proof or defense, where a person will contend that something is true, or better, or wrong. It is still a striving but more of a verbal kind, where what you contend is what you hope to convince others is correct.

proliferate

(v.) to reproduce, increase, or spread rapidly Synonyms: multiply, mushroom, burgeon Antonyms: decrease, diminish, dwindle, slack off When something proliferates, it's growing, spreading or multiplying really quickly. Bunny rabbits have a habit of proliferating, as do dandelions in untended gardens and funny YouTube videos on the internet. Proliferate was originally a biological term used to describe the growth of cells and producing offspring. It wasn't until 1961 that we started to use proliferate more generally to talk about everything from the spread of nuclear weapons to the wide growth of Walmart. Other similar words include expand, reproduce, snowball, and spawn. increase rapidly in number; multiply. "the science fiction magazines which proliferated in the 1920s" (of a cell, structure, or organism) reproduce rapidly. "cultured cells often proliferate indefinitely" cause (cells, tissue, structures, etc.) to reproduce rapidly. "electromagnetic radiation can only proliferate cancers already present"

obsession

A persistent, unwanted thought or idea that keeps recurring If you have an obsession, you're totally fixated on something and unhealthily devoted to it. Some common obsessions include fantasy football leagues, celebrity gossip, and Elvis memorabilia. Obsession is kind of like a passion for something that crosses the line into crazy territory. Sometimes people get so preoccupied with their obsessions that it makes them anxious or emotionally unstable. If you have an obsession with the Yankees, for example, you might go to every single game, skip work to watch spring training, paper your room with Yankees posters, and write love notes to Derek Jeter.

ritual

A ritual is a ceremony or action performed in a customary way. Your family might have a Saturday night ritual of eating a big spaghetti dinner and then taking a long walk to the ice cream shop. As an adjective, ritual means "conforming to religious rites," which are the sacred, customary ways of celebrating a religion or culture. Different communities have different ritual practices, like meditation in Buddhism, or baptism in Christianity. We also call the ceremony itself a ritual. Although it comes from religious ceremonies, ritual can also be used for any time-honored tradition, like the Superbowl, or Mardi Gras, or Sunday morning pancake breakfasta. religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order. a religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order. "ancient fertility rituals" a prescribed order for performing a ritual ceremony, especially one characteristic of a particular religion or Church. "she likes the High Church ritual" a series of actions or type of behaviour regularly and invariably followed by someone. "her visits to Joy became a ritual" Adj: relating to or done as a religious or solemn rite. "ritual burial" (of an action) arising from convention or habit. "the players gathered for the ritual pre-match huddle"

booming

ADJ. deep and resonant; flourishing, thriving. a loud, deep, resonant sound. "the deep boom of the bass drum" Similar: reverberation resonance resounding thunder the characteristic resonant cry of the bittern. "the boom of the bittern may be enjoyed in the country" make a loud, deep, resonant sound. "thunder boomed in the sky" say in a loud, deep, resonant voice. "'Stop right there,' boomed the Headmaster" (of a bittern) utter its characteristic resonant cry. "a dozen bitterns boom mysteriously from the reeds" Something that's booming is growing fast or becoming prosperous, like your booming lemonade stand, which has the neighbors lining up down the block to buy a cup. Use this adjective to describe an incredibly successful business, like the booming fireworks sales before the Fourth of July, or anything else that's making money, like your city's booming economy. A different meaning is "deep and resonant," as in a basso opera singer's booming voice. This definition is the older of the two, from boom, "make a deep sound," with the "thriving" meaning from a later use of boom, "burst into prosperity."

assertion

An assertion is a declaration that's made emphatically, especially as part of an argument or as if it's to be understood as a statement of fact. To assert is to state with force. So if someone makes an assertion, they're not just trying out an idea — they really mean it. An assertion can also be an act that seems to make a statement without words. When your dog urinates in multiple places up and down your block, he's making an assertion of his dominance (also called "marking") over his "territory." a confident and forceful statement of fact or belief a declaration or statement he action of asserting something. "the assertion of his legal rights" Similar: defence upholding

gag

Any effect, trick, or stunt in a movie. A gag is a piece of cloth that's tied around a person's face to keep them from speaking or being heard. Cartoon bad guys often tie up their victims and put gags over their mouths. To use a gag for shutting someone up is to gag them. Both the noun and verb forms of gag can also be figurative: "Her government is trying to gag her by censoring her," or "The lack of a right to free speech in some countries is a gag." Another way to gag is to retch, or begin to vomit. The root of gag is probably the Old Norse gag-hals, "with head thrown back."

dubious

Choose the adjective dubious for something you have doubts about or you suspect is not true. That bridge you just "bought" might be of dubious value. Dubious stems from Latin dubiosus, "doubtful" or "uncertain," and contains the Latin root duo in this case meaning "of two minds." This is apparent in that dubious generally describes something that appears one way but is truly another. A dubious claim is probably not true, whereas a dubious website or character is of questionable quality. Dubious can also be synonymous with doubtful, as in "she was dubious about the idea." doubtful; of unlikely authenticity hesitating or doubting. "I was rather dubious about the whole idea" Similar: doubtful uncertain unsure not to be relied upon; suspect. "extremely dubious assumptions" Similar: suspicious suspect under suspicion

Humiliate

Humiliate means to make someone feel ashamed or stupid, often publicly. It would humiliate all but the most self-assured person to realize that everyone else in the room has noticed their fly is down. For many, the experience of high school seems designed to humiliate teens--under the microscope of public scrutiny that is the high school community, every break up, every bad-hair day, every forgotten homework assignment humiliates kids in ways adults rarely understand. ​

persistent

If something is persistent, it just won't stop. If you're persistent in your suggestions for a trip to Mexico, maybe your parents will eventually give in and take you there. Persistent comes from the Latin verb persistere which means "to continue with strength." A persistent salesman refuses to give up. A persistent ringing sound is one that repeats and repeats. Persistent rumors keep circulating, as does a persistent virus. Often something persistent is annoying. The related verb is persist, which means to continue to exist, or to go without stopping. refusing to give up or stop; continuing despite difficulties Continuing firmly or obstinately in an opinion or course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition. "an attempt to stop persistent drink-drivers" Similar: tenacious persevering determined resolute purposeful Continuing to exist or occur over a prolonged period. "persistent rain will affect many areas"

Laity

If you are a member of a religious group, but you are not an ordained minister or priest, then you are a member of the laity. Sometimes members of the laity will play a role in the church service, for example, doing one of the readings or running a youth group. The noun laity is from the word lay, and lay person has a similar church meaning. The word lay itself is from the Greek word laikos meaning "of the people." The meaning of the word laity is sometimes expanded to refer to non-professionals workers, as opposed to professionals in a field. Volunteers are the laity of elementary education, and if you volunteer at a school, you can make a huge difference in a child's life. . lay people, as distinct from the clergy (entire class of religious officials). ordinary people, as distinct from professionals or experts.

persuade

If you get talked into something, you've been persuaded. If your friends try to persuade you to swan-dive into a dangerous ravine, it's time to find some new friends. To persuade is to get your way — win the argument, convince the group to see your favorite movie, get your parents to let you borrow the car. You persuade with language, with a carefully constructed argument, and with the strength of your conviction. The word is sometimes used tongue-in-cheek to describe the very opposite of a carefully worded argument. A movie gangster might "persuade" people with the gun he keeps tucked in his pocket. to win someone over by arguing or asking

smoothie

If you know someone who's very charming and a little bit phony, you can call him a smoothie. A smoothie can talk you into loaning him money even if he already owes you some. You might also call a smoothie a "smooth-talker," someone who's good at getting what he wants using his charisma. Another kind of smoothie is the one you drink through a straw — a milkshake-like drink often made of fruit, ice, milk, or yogurt. The suave guy definition is older, from 1928 college slang, while the blender drink meaning came along in the 1980s. ​

clamor

Loud noise or shouting To clamor is to make a demand — LOUDLY. It's usually a group that clamors — like Americans might clamor for comprehensive health care coverage. The noun clamor is often used specifically to describe a noisy outcry from a group of people, but more generally, the word means any loud, harsh sound. You could describe the clamor of sirens in the night or the clamor of the approaching subway in the tunnel. a loud and confused noise, especially that of people shouting. "the questions rose to a clamor" Similar: din loud noise uproar tumult (of a group of people) shout loudly and insistently. "the surging crowds clamored for attention" Similar: yell shout loudly bay scream

elixir

Miraculous, magical, and maybe a little mysterious, an elixir is a sweet substance or solution that cures the problem at hand. Elixir is a word often used with a knowing wink — a sort of overstatement of a product's effectiveness, or a decision maker's policy. With linguistic roots in the long-ago alchemists' search for the philosophers' stone, the word has an element of fantasy to spice up anything, like a remedy for the common cold. The mythic fountain of youth is certainly an elixir, but it can also refer to a real liquid, concept, or plan. (n.) a potion once thought capable of curing all ills and maintaining life indefinitely; a panacea; a magical or medicinal potion. "an elixir guaranteed to induce love" Similar: potion concoction brew philtre a preparation supposedly able to change metals into gold, sought by alchemists. a preparation supposedly able to prolong life indefinitely. noun: elixir of life; plural noun: elixirs of life "at one point during the festivities, the river is said to turn into the elixir of life" a particular type of medicinal solution. "a cough elixir" Similar: mixture solution potion tincture extract

outrage

Something is an outrage when it is shocking and makes you angry. Stealing from an orphanage? That's an outrage. Sometimes outrage leads to action. Public outrage over the latest political scandal often makes the news. act of extreme violence or viciousness; resentful anger; V: commit an outrage on; produce anger in; ADJ. outrageous: offensive an extremely strong reaction of anger, shock, or indignation. "her voice trembled with outrage" Similar: indignation fury anger an action or event causing outrage. plural noun: outrages "the massacre was one of the worst outrages in the whole of our history" Similar: affront scandal offence insult rouse fierce anger, shock, or indignation in (someone). "the public were outraged at the brutality involved" flagrantly violate or infringe (a principle, law, etc.). "their behaviour outraged all civilized standards"

subtle

Something that is subtle is not obvious: a professional food taster might be able to perceive subtle differences of flavor that most people don't notice. Subtle is used for things that are hard to describe because of their complexity or delicacy: a way of thinking, arguing, or creating a work of art. The word is pronounced like "suttle" and it was originally spelled that way when it was borrowed from Old French, but the b got imported to make the word look more like its ultimate source, the Latin adjective subtilis. If you try to pronounce the b, your ignorance of how to say the word properly won't be very subtle! delicate, elusive, not obvious (To avoid being obtrusive in the elegant restaurant, he used ____ gestures to call the waiter to his table) (especially of a change or distinction) so delicate or precise as to be difficult to analyze or describe. "his language expresses rich and subtle meanings" (of a mixture or effect) delicately complex and understated. "subtle lighting" capable of making fine distinctions. "a subtle mind" Similar: astute keen arranged in an ingenious and elaborate way. "the German plan was simple yet subtle" making use of clever and indirect methods to achieve something. "he tried a more subtle approach" crafty; cunning. "the subtle fiend dissembled" Similar: ingenious clever skilful adroit

appealing

The adjective appealing describes someone who is able to attract interest or is easy to like. For example, your easy sense of humor and way of making people feel comfortable make you appealing to friends old and new. If you are appealing, people want to be around you. It might be that you are really nice, or a good listener, not to mention have good looks. Actors who are appealing tend to get a lot of parts because filmmakers know audiences will flock to see them, just as an appealing description of a dish on a menu will lead more people to order it. This something is appealing, it is — or will be — popular .adj. attractive or interesting syn. alluring showing or expressing a desire for help or sympathy. "an appealing look" make a serious, urgent, or heartfelt request. "police are appealing for information about the incident" apply to a higher court for a reversal of the decision of a lower court. "he said he would appeal against the conviction" try to persuade someone to do something by calling on (a particular principle or quality). "I appealed to his sense of justice" Similar: implore beg beseech entreat

ecstatic

The adjective ecstatic turns the noun "ecstasy" into a descriptive word. When Celine hit that high note, the audience was ecstatic. Originally, ecstatic had religious connotations having to do with the sheer joy of knowing God or someone truly holy. That meaning remains today, but ecstatic now includes almost anything that's really pleasurable or wonderful. I was ecstatic at the news that I'd been nominated for an award. The entire world reacted with an ecstatic sense of glee when the Berlin Wall finally came down. The hangover the next day, though, wasn't so ecstatic. feeling or expressing overwhelming happiness or joyful excitement extremely happy feeing great rapture or delight feeling or expressing overwhelming happiness or joyful excitement. "ecstatic fans filled the stadium" Similar: enraptured elated involving an experience of mystic self-transcendence. "an ecstatic vision of God" noun: ecstatic; plural noun: ecstatics a person subject to mystical experiences.

envisioned

The verb envision means to imagine or picture. Kids often envision themselves doing exciting things when they grow up, like being movie stars, professional athletes, or astronauts. The word envision comes from the Latin en-, which means "cause to be," and visionem, meaning "a thing seen." Career paths aren't the only things that can be envisioned. If you envision a cleaner world, you may volunteer to pick up trash on the beach. If you envision a more peaceful world, you might make your brother and sister play in separate rooms to stop them from screaming at each other. imagine as a future possibility; visualize. imagine as a future possibility; visualize. "she envisioned the admiring glances of guests seeing her home"

proclaiming

To proclaim is to exclaim or declare. When you proclaim something, you are saying it loud and clear and in public. A doctor can proclaim you healthy after you have recovered from a long illness. The panel of judges may have trouble proclaiming the winner in a very tight race. What you are saying out loud can be called a proclamation. Proclamations were once only made by Kings or other ruling leaders which is why the word proclaim has an official feeling to it. announce officially or publicly. "they proclaimed that housing shortages would be solved within ten years" declare officially or publicly to be. "he proclaimed King James II as King of England say something emphatically; declare. "she proclaimed that what I had said was untrue" indicate clearly. "his high, intelligent forehead proclaimed a strength of mind that was almost tangible" Similar: demonstrate signify

seduce

To seduce is to lure or entice, particularly away from obligations or proper behavior. A gorgeous day could seduce you from doing your homework. Seduce means something close to attract, beguile, tempt, and mislead. The word often has romantic overtones, but it doesn't have to: a clever criminal could seduce someone into a life of crime. When you're being seduced, it implies you're being tricked a little bit, often into something that's enticing but not so good. lead astray; persuade one to do wrong; persuade one to have sexual intercourse attract powerfully. "the melody seduces the ear with warm string tones" entice (someone) to do or believe something inadvisable or foolhardy. entice (someone) into sexual activity. "a lawyer had seduced a female client"

startle

To startle is to jump, like when you're surprised. If you're sneaking through a dark room and step on a sleeping dog's tail — you might startle the dog. If she barks, that dog startles you right back! A startle is a quick, sharp movement, like a little jump that happens when you're surprised or suddenly scared. If you sneak up on your mom and say "Boo!" you'll startle her and she might jump up in her seat (before she yells at you to quit it). Alarm clocks and barking dogs often startle people. The original meaning of startle, around 1300, was "to run back and forth," from the Old English word styrtan, "to leap up. "to surprise or frighten (someone) suddenly and usually not seriously cause to feel sudden shock or alarm. "a sudden sound in the doorway startled her" Similar: surprise frighten scare

swirl

To swirl is to turn in circles or spirals, the way a leaf caught in a whirlpool swirls, or a toy duck swirls in the bathtub as you empty the water out. Smoke might swirl up from your campfire, keeping the mosquitos that swirl through the air nearby from biting you. Or you can swirl on a carnival ride that spins you in circles until you step back onto the ground and the world swirls for a while, until you regain your balance. Swirl is a noun, too, as in a swirl of dust. It was originally Scottish for "whirlpool. to move in a circular, whirling or writhing manner; a twist, curl, whirl or eddy cause to move in a twisting or spiraling pattern. "swirl a little cream into the soup" a quantity of something moving in a twisting or spiralling pattern. "swirls of dust swept across the floor" a twisting or spiralling movement or pattern. "she emerged with a swirl of skirts"

brag

When you're bragging, you're boasting. If you can't stop talking about your fancy new shoes, that's bragging. Ever notice how some people are full of themselves and constantly telling you about the great things they've done? Those folks like to brag. Bragging is a verbal kind of showing off. We all do it sometimes, and it's almost always annoying when other people do it. A specific boast can be called a brag. Athletes often brag before big games. But only the winners can brag after, because they backed up their words. form of self-flattery in which personal qualities are embellished to impress others V: Say something in a boastful manner. "he bragged that he was sure of victory" Similar: boast crow show off swagger noun noun: brag; plural noun: brags 1. a gambling card game which is a simplified form of poker. "games of pontoon, brag, and poker" 2. a boastful statement. "he was not the kind of man to make a brag"

devouring

When you've gone all day without eating anything, you'll probably devour your dinner, especially if it's your very favorite homemade lasagna. Devour means to eat greedily and hungrily. The meaning of devour has grown to include the consumption of things other than food. If you sit down to start a book and look up ten hours later having turned the last page, you have devoured that book. If your after school job devours all your free time, chances are your grades are going to drop. The Latin root, devorare, means "to swallow down." to swallow or eat up hungrily, voraciously, or ravenously (of fire or a similar force) destroy completely. "the hungry flames devoured the old house" Similar: destroy consume engulf envelop demolish read quickly and eagerly. "she spent her evenings devouring the classics" be totally absorbed by a powerful feeling. "she was devoured by envy" Similar: afflict torture plague bedevil trouble harrow rack

triumph

a great victory or achievement. A triumph is a well-earned victory. It'll make you pump your fist and yell "Hurrah!" Triumph can be a noun or a verb, so you can have a triumph after the big game when you triumph over your opponents. Either way, it's a way to rejoice and a reason to whoop it up. The word comes from the Latin triumphus which is an "achievement, success, procession for a victorious general or admiral." The jury's still out on whether it comes from the Greek thriambos, as a "hymn to Dionysus," but it's fun to imagine that a triumph is a song to the Greek god of party animals. Fittingly, a Triumph is also the name of a motorcycle, a cool car, and a hard rockin' band from Canada. great victory or achievement. "a garden built to celebrate Napoleon's many triumphs" Similar: victory win the state of being victorious or successful. "the king returned home in triumph" joy or satisfaction resulting from a success or victory. "'Here it is!' Helen's voice rose in triumph highly successful example of something. "the marriage had been a triumph of togetherness" achieve a victory; be successful. "spectacle has once again triumphed over content" rejoice or exult at a victory or success. "she stopped triumphing over Mrs Ward's failure" ​

concoction

a mixture of various ingredients or elements: a concoction of gables, shingles, stained glass, and towers inspired by English medieval houses. • an elaborate story, especially a fabrication: her story is an improbable concoction. A concoction is a curious mixture of things, like a bunch of liquids stirred in a cup, or the elaborate and unbelievable story you make up to explain not finishing your homework. Mix eight different liquids in a glass and you've got a concoction. Scientists create concoctions of chemicals in test tubes, and a bicycle made of junkyard scraps is a concoction too. The word's Latin root means "cooked together," referring to when you heat metals in order to purify them. A concoction is also a tall tale told to get out of trouble or entertain someone. If your story has ostriches, trampolines, lasers, and Abraham Lincoln, it's probably a concoction.

proclivity

a natural or habitual inclination or tendency (especially of human character or behavior) A proclivity is a natural tendency to like something, such as your sister's proclivity for restaurants that serve hot, spicy food. When you have a proclivity, it feels automatic — you like what you like; you don't even have to think about it. The origin of the word proclivity supports this feeling. Proclivity comes from the Latin word proclivis, which literally means "sloping forward." You slide toward a proclivity — no effort is needed. You just give in to it, since you're headed in that direction naturally. a tendency to choose or do something regularly; an inclination or predisposition towards a particular thing. "a proclivity for hard work" Similar: liking inclination tendency leaning disposition

disincentive

a negative motivational influence

Incarnation

a person who represent in the flesh a deity, spirit, or abstract quality. Incarnation is the embodiment of a god on earth. Or — when it comes to reincarnation: if you are a garbage collector in this life, you might get to be royalty in your next incarnation. Incarnation comes from the Latin incarnatus, which means "to make flesh." The word incarnation came to life in religious contexts and is used when talking about gods and deities that take on human or animal forms. More generally, the word can be used to refer to anything or anyone taking on a "new life" — the new season of a sitcom could promise a new incarnation for one of its characters, or a former fashion trend could come back as a new incarnation.

craving

a powerful desire for something. "a craving for chocolate" Similar: longing, yearning, hankering, hunger A craving is an intense desire for something really particular. If you have a craving for pickled herring, a tuna sandwich just won't do. Must. Have. Pickled. Herring. Craving is the noun that comes from the verb crave, which comes from the Old English word crafian, meaning "to demand, beg." When we talk about cravings, it's almost like the body and not the mind that is demanding something. Pregnant women famously have crazy cravings, sending their partners to the store in the middle of the night for pickles or toffee. Some people have cravings for power or fame: the desire is so strong they can't let it go.

squiggle

a short line that curls and loops in an irregular way. A squiggle is a curly, looping line, like the squiggle that serves as your signature when you sloppily sign your name. If you can't read someone's writing, you can call it a squiggle or a scrawl. You can also use squiggle to describe decorative accents or drawn designs, like squiggles of paint in modern art or ornamental squiggles in the pattern on your sofa. Squiggle originated in the early 19th century and was initially used a verb derived from wriggle and squirm.

inkling

a slight suspicion; a vague idea, hint, Is someone yapping on and on and you only have the vaguest idea of what they're talking about? Then you understood just an inkling — a glimmer, a fraction — of what they were saying. Inkling can also mean a sly suggestion or faint implication. If someone drops a hint you're not wanted they've given you an inkling you're not wanted. The word comes from the medieval English word inclen, which suitably enough means "to utter in an undertone." In other words, what's really being said is in between the lines of what's actually being said on the surface. By now you've probably got the inkling that inklings can be sneaky things. a slight knowledge or suspicion; a hint. "the records give us an inkling of how people saw the world"

whim

a sudden wish to do something without a particular reason ; a fanciful idea sudden desire or change of mind, especially one that is unusual or unexplaine "she bought it on a whim" A whim is an odd or fanciful idea, something kooky you suddenly decide to do, like dress up like a chicken or drive to Vegas. A whim can be a sudden impulse or a change of mind, like if you go shopping for school clothes but instead buy a pink cowboy hat. Whim is a shortened version of the equally silly sounding whim wham which means "fanciful object," like a tiny snow globe that plays "Hava Nagila." If you go for a drive on a whim, you could wind up anywhere, perhaps even back to the store to return that snow globe. ​

dimly

adv. Obscurely with a faint light; not brightly. "a single lamp glowed dimly in the gloom" in a faint or indistinct way; not clearly. "the desert is dimly visible in the light of the moon" in a way that is not clearly perceived or recalled. "we became dimly aware of voices" used to express disapproval. "he would look dimly upon any attempt to change her team" Dim has several meanings related to a lack of light, hope, or knowledge. A room that is not well lit is dim, a slow thinker is dim, and when life looks hopeless, your prospects are dim. To dim a light is to dull it, like by putting a shade over it. A vague idea without a lot of specifics is also dim, since it's hard to see or understand the idea. Someone who's not very bright is dim or a dimwit. When things are hopeless, they're dim too. For example, if a football team is losing by fifty points, their chances of winning are dim.

busted

broken, cracked, or smashed be caught in the act of doing something wrong. "I sneaked up on them and told them they were busted" US reduce (a soldier) to a lower rank; demote. "he was busted to private" strike violently. "Tamara bust him in the eye" escape. "she busted out of prison" (of a group or couple) separate, typically after a quarrel. "now they've bust up, she won't inherit the house" violently disrupt. "men hired to bust up union rallies" If you bust something, you have broken it. A bust can also be a statue of someone from the shoulders up. Be careful to not bust a bust on your next field trip! Several meanings of bust are pretty discouraging. You might describe your business as bust if it's totally out of money, for example. Or you might threaten your younger sister, "If you bust my ceramic unicorn, you're in big trouble!" There's also the kind of bust that might sit on your piano, like a bust of Mozart or Bach — a statue of a person's head and upper shoulders. This is the oldest meaning of the word, from the Italian busto, "upper body."

disastrous

causing much damage or harm Setting things on fire to see how fast they burn might seem like fun, but it can be disastrous. Something that's disastrous has terrible consequences. Any action that can cause serious damage is potentially disastrous, like driving too fast on an icy road or climbing a tree during a thunderstorm. You can also use the word disastrous to talk about something that's merely unsuccessful. You could have a disastrous first date, or a disastrous attempt to house-train your puppy. Disastrous comes from the French désastreux, "ill-starred" or "unlucky."

sputter

confused or excited speech/discussion When you sputter, you're often angry, surprised, or otherwise at a loss for words. You may sputter incoherent sounds, or short syllables. When you start up your dirt bike, its engine sputters too, with muted exploding sounds. This word is also a noun: "The sputter from out on the lake told me he got the old motorboat going." In physics, to sputter is to send high-energy particles onto a material, dislodging tiny particles from its surface. make a series of soft explosive or spitting sounds. "the engine sputtered and stopped" speak in a series of incoherent bursts as a result of strong emotion. "'But ... but ...' she sputtered" emit with a spitting sound. "the goose is in the oven, sputtering fat" proceed in a spasmodic and feeble way. "strikes in the public services sputtered on" a series of soft explosive or spitting sounds. "the sputter of the motor died away"

rumor

gossip (usually a mixture of truth and untruth) passed around by word of mouth be circulated as an unverified account. "it's rumoured that he lives on a houseboat" a currently circulating story or report of uncertain or doubtful truth. "they were investigating rumours of a massacre" Similar: gossip hearsay A rumor is a story which may not be true. Everyone may be talking about the rap superstar who stopped for ice cream in your town, but until there's proof that it really happened, the whole thing is just a rumor. Are rumors ever true? Of course — sometimes word gets out ahead of time, like when a student overhears teachers talking about the early dismissal before it is announced. When the school closes early, the rumor is confirmed. But many other rumors can never be confirmed, so they stay just that, rumors. True, false, semi-true: who knows? The Latin word rumorem, or noise, is the origin; noise is often all that a rumor is.

dingy

if something is dingy, it's dirty. If you spend your days as a chimney sweeper, you probably look pretty dingy. The adjective dingy is often, but not always, used to describe one's clothing or living space. The adjective dingy comes from uncertain origins, but experts suspect it may be a backformation from the word dung, which is animal excrement. So you can imagine how dirty, dismal, grungy, and grimy something described as dingy is. dirty, dull, or shabby

hew

if you're a lumberjack, the word hew is nothing new. You hew things every day with one swift swing of the axe, chopping and shaping wood. It's said that Paul Bunyan hewed the Grand Canyon by dragging his giant mythical axe behind him. But usually things are hewn with a little more purpose — with each chop and cut designed to shape, sculpt, or craft a final product. Take the axe out of the picture though, and this word takes on a different meaning. If you're trying to adhere to rules, stick to a budget, or conform to a certain tradition, you can use hew, too to shape (something) by cutting with a sharp tool (such as an ax) chop or cut (something, especially wood or coal) with an axe, pick, or other tool. "master carpenters would hew the logs with an axe" Similar: chop hack make or shape (something) by cutting or chopping a material such as wood or stone. "a seat hewn out of a fallen tree trunk" Similar: cut carve shape fashion

affiliation

joining; associating with An affiliation is an official connection to something. To have an affiliation to something is to be affiliated with it. The Tea Party pretty clearly has an affiliation with the Republican Party. You can be connected to all sorts of things, but to have an affiliation is to have an official connection. A local church might have an affiliation with a larger religious organization. A bunch of small groups might share an affiliation with a larger one, as in the case of baseball teams and the leagues they belong to. Often you'll hear politicians denying any affiliation with certain groups, places, or companies, because they want to appear neutral. If you have an affiliation with something, you're likely to pay it extra attention

wunderkind

one who excels in a difficult field at an early age noun noun: wunderkind; plural noun: wunderkinds a person who achieves great success when relatively young. "the economics wunderkind who was a tenured professor at 29"

olfactory

relating to the sense of smell Something olfactory has to do with the sense of smell. The odor from that factory is a symphony of olfactory delights. Not. Though we typically think of dogs as the olfactory champions of the world, what with their remarkable ability to sniff out practically anything, the true title belongs to the polar bear. Healthy, adult polar bears possess olfactory gifts that boggle the mind: they can smell a seal under the ice from over a kilometer away. One way to try to remember the meaning of the word olfactory is to think of factory. Your nose is the "factory" where odors are processed. What visual is to the eyes, olfactory is to the nose.

antsy

restless, impatient and tired of waiting. "I hope Katy calls soon. Just sitting around and waiting is making me antsy." If you're antsy, you're restless and fidgety. It's hard not to be antsy when you're waiting to learn whether or not you've been accepted to your first choice of colleges. An antsy kid, unable to sit still, might need to use the bathroom, and a worried parent is often antsy while she waits for her teenager to come home late at night. Antsy came first, in the 1830s, but the idea is similar to the 20th century expression "have ants in your pants." Imagine how you'd squirm if you actually did feel ants crawling around in your pants: figuratively, that's how it feels to be antsy. agitated, impatient, or restless. "Dick got antsy the day he put to sea" Similar: agitated anxious fidgety jumpy fretful restless

vial

small bottle containing medicine or other liquids

stinky

smelly; having a bad odor When things stink, they smell terrible. If you throw food scraps in your kitchen trash can, it will eventually start to stink. You can say that something stinks — your dog's breath, or your brother's feet — and you can call the offensive odor itself a stink. Figuratively, something can stink even if it doesn't literally smell bad: "I'm sorry, but that movie you recommended really stinks. It's awful." The Old English root is stincan, "emit a smell of any kind, or exhale." have a strong unpleasant smell. "the place stank like a sewer" Similar: reek be very unpleasant, contemptible, or scandalous. "he thinks the values of our society stink" a strong unpleasant smell; a stench. "the stink of the place hit me as I went in" Similar: stench a row or fuss. "a silly move now would kick up a stink we couldn't handle" Similar: fuss commotion rumpus ruckus having a strong unpleasant smell. "'What you doing with that stink dog?'" contemptible; corrupt. "the whole episode is so stink that the principal asked for an immediate transfer of the teacher"

Compulsive

strongly motivated Compulsive people have irresistible urges to do certain things, like a compulsive gossip who simply cannot keep a secret. If you're compulsive, you can't stop yourself from doing something, like compulsive counting of the sidewalk blocks on your way to school. There is sometimes an upside to compulsive behavior — like a compulsive desire to be the best hockey player, which makes you work hard to make it happen. Someone who has compulsive tendencies can be called a compulsive, the noun form of the word. ​

imitate

take or follow as a model copy or simulate "his style was imitated by many other writers" copy (a person's speech or mannerisms), especially for comic effect. "she imitated my Scots accent" When you imitate someone, you copy them. Youth marketers capitalize on kids' desire to imitate--tweens imitate teens, teens imitate young adults, and marketers supply the product lines to make it easy. Humans learn by imitating others. Babies carefully watch their caregivers' lips, learning to imitate the movements they make to create language sounds. Writers often begin their careers imitating the style of older writers they admire

cripple

to cause serious damage to someone or something, making him, her, or it weak and not effective: a global nursing shortage threatens to cripple health care systems To cripple is to leave someone unable to walk. Terrible car accidents, for example, can sometimes cripple their victims. Use the verb cripple to describe what is done to a person whose legs are so badly injured that they can't be used. You can also use the word in a figurative way, as when a parent's criticism and high expectations cripple a child's self esteem. In other words, they take away his strength and make him feel useless and unsuccessful. In the thirteenth century, cripple meant "to move slowly," from the Old English root crypel, "to bend." cause severe and disabling damage to; deprive of the ability to function normally. "developing countries are crippled by their debts" Similar: ruin destroy crush cause (someone) to become unable to walk or move normally. "a young student was crippled for life" Similar: disable paralyze immobilize incapacitate debilitate a person with a severe limitation of a specified kind. "an emotional cripple"

decipher

to interpret or read (something confusing or hard to make out) Decipher means translate from code, or more generally, figure out. If you can't decipher your teacher's writing, it means you can't read it. You might feel like you're being asked to decipher a code. During World War II, the Nazis used a machine called the Enigma to encode secret messages. An operator would type the message with a keyboard, which would activate a set of rotors, giving each letter a different value. The code was difficult for the Allies to crack, but eventually the code was deciphered by the British, hastening the end of the war. convert (a text written in code, or a coded signal) into normal language. "authorized government agencies can decipher encrypted telecommunications" Similar: decode decrypt succeed in understanding, interpreting, or identifying (something). "visual signals help us decipher what is being communicated"

chugging

v. making a regular puffing sound while moving